Chapter 962: Splashes of Red (2/2)

The First Prince's voice grew louder; facing total encirclement, he spread his arms and looked down with disdain at the stunned Seventh Prince.

"You cannot kill me like this."

"Why…?"

"Awaken, the Guardian Stone Lion!"

The Seventh Prince's words were cut off abruptly.

Boom—boom—boom!!

The entire Shi Sheng Lin suddenly shook violently.

As if some colossal entity was about to awaken!

"No, impossible!"

The Seventh Prince looked up in shock, and his pupils shrank sharply.

There, the immense Guardian Stone Lion—venerated by Qing Guo as a Sacred Object and usable only by the current Emperor—slowly opened its stone eyes.

It moved!

Layers of dust accumulated over countless years rained down like Heavy Rain, and beneath its vast shadow, everyone stood frozen, dazed and numb.

When they finally came to their senses,

Clatter and crash.

The Zidian Huowei knelt on the ground in a sea of bows.

"Congratulations, Great Prince, on gaining the Guardian Stone Lion's recognition!"

"Congratulations, Great Prince, on gaining the Guardian Stone Lion's recognition!"

"Congratulations, Great Prince, on gaining the Guardian Stone Lion's recognition!"

At this moment, regardless of prior motives, allegiances, or beliefs, all became one single stance.

That was loyalty to the First Prince, loyalty to… the legitimate imperial authority!

To every person in Qing Guo, the Guardian Stone Lion was the symbol of invincibility.

The First Prince who commanded the Guardian Stone Lion was, effectively… invincible!

"Issue my order: apprehend the traitor, Seventh Prince."

The Zidian Huowei, who had just been allies, now rose in unison and leveled their swords at the Seventh Prince.

His face darkened; after a swift calculation, the Seventh Prince gritted his teeth and retreated in a burst of speed.

The Zidian Huowei's betrayal was minor—what truly mattered was the First Prince, who could command the Guardian Stone Lion!

"Don't let the traitor escape!"

"Capture the Seventh Prince!"

The Zidian Huowei, eager to prove their loyalty, chased after him.

When the Seventh Prince reached the gate, amid the stunned expressions of the Hong Bu, they were ordered to engage the pursuing Zidian Huowei in battle.

At the entrance of Shi Sheng Lin, chaos erupted; inside the sacred grounds, the First Prince suddenly coughed, his hand over his mouth drenched in blood.

The Guardian Stone Lion, which had just stirred slightly, froze again and slowly closed its stone eyes.

He had not lied.

The Guardian Stone Lion had never recognized his identity.

What truly moved the Guardian Stone Lion was his fortune.

Only by combining his vast accumulated fortune, the power within his bloodline, and the daily meditation and absorption of Shi Sheng Lin's aura—paid for at great cost—could he briefly command the Guardian Stone Lion, and nothing more.

Any further prolongation of this act would cost him his life.

In earlier years, the First Prince's cunning was not yet deep enough; the Second Prince and Third Prince discovered his secret and devised a countermeasure: 【Deceitful Fortune Straw】.

This artifact suppressed his fortune cultivation, preventing him from commanding the Guardian Stone Lion.

Fortunately, it was extremely rare—only one existed—and they had clearly hidden it deeply, intending to use it as a last resort, but the Seventh Prince's scheme left them no chance to deploy it.

"I must find a way to obtain the 【Deceitful Fortune Straw】 hidden by those two before the Seventh Prince does—otherwise, even I am in danger."

…

The Seventh Prince, having escaped the Imperial Palace, had not yet caught his breath when he looked up and saw the churning Black Cloud on the horizon.

"Deceit… calamity? Now?!"

The Seventh Prince froze.

According to his intelligence, the Deceit Calamity would take at least ten more days to reach Jingcheng—by then, Father and the others would likely have returned.

"Why so soon… could it be?!"

The Seventh Prince's expression changed; a thought flashed through his mind.

Only that route could bring it to Jingcheng this fast!

"Han Jiang… this Deceit Calamity crossed Han Jiang!"

Deep dread surged in the Seventh Prince's heart; he even considered fleeing Jingcheng temporarily.

At that moment, Xi Dao—who should have been guarding You Sisi—emerged from the shadows…

"Your Highness, Seventh Prince! Your Sisi has been seized by an unknown sinister force, her fate unknown!"

"What?!"

The Seventh Prince panicked instantly, his face turning deathly pale.

Bad news kept piling up…

"An Dong'er? Spirit Tree? Another dimension? That's not…"

After hearing Xi Dao's report, cold light flashed in the Seventh Prince's eyes.

The First Prince could wait—but You Sisi must be rescued!

"Ox Constellation, you have incredible audacity! How dare you scheme against me!"

……

In Jingcheng, at Qing Gao Lou, on the rooftop.

A dark shadow plummeted diagonally from the rooftop like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the building below, accompanied by a booming crash that sent up a vast cloud of dust.

"Lord Feng Wang, please spare his life!!"

Er Heiyu knelt before Feng Wang, weeping as she begged.

"Huang Er, the Phoenix Organization does not spare traitors."

"I—I am willing to give my life in his place!"

"You?"

Feng Wang looked at Huang Er, this relatively outstanding experiment of the Phoenix Organization, then down at Niuzuo, nearly lifeless amid the clearing dust—he understood.

So you've betrayed us too.

All traitors must die.

"You…"

"It doesn't matter if we spare him."

Feng Wang's words were cut off by another voice.

He turned—and the newcomer was none other than… Huang Hou!

In her hand, she held the bloody head of the Ninth Huang Nu.

She casually tossed the Ninth Huang Nu's head aside, then stepped into Feng Wang's arms and smiled lightly: "As long as Huang Er, you swallow this pill, we'll spare Niuzuo."

Seeing the pill Huang Hou produced, Huang Er didn't hesitate at all—she snatched it instantly and swallowed it on the spot!

"I agree! If Lord Feng Wang and Lady Huang Hou spare his life, I'll do anything!"

Seeing this, Huang Hou giggled, covering her mouth.

Before Feng Wang could speak, he felt his arm grow light—Huang Hou used a flash-step and appeared before Huang Er, driving her short sword straight through Huang Er's chest.

Ssssh!!

Blood sprayed out, staining Huang Hou's blue phoenix mask red, making her appearance now seem strangely sinister.

"Then go—die in his place."

Raising her pale leg, Huang Hou kicked Huang Er in the chest, as Huang Er writhed in agony.

A tremendous force surged through her—Huang Er flew backward and tumbled down from Qing Gao Lou!

"No!!!"

The man below, in the ruins, screamed with all his strength. Just as he crawled out of the debris and looked up at Qing Gao Lou, he saw Huang Er's body, pierced through the chest, falling from above.

Dragging his mangled body, he charged forward wildly—when suddenly, eight-armed grotesques, crawling like spiders, emerged from nowhere and seized him, dragging him away at high speed.

"The operation has failed. We should retreat from here. What do you think, Niuzuo?"

(End of Chapter)